Silane compounds are conveniently produced by reduction of chlorosilanes with Al-containing reducing agents (e.g., lithium aluminum hydride [LiAlH4], or LAH). The silanes obtained after purification via recondensing or vacuum distillation oftentimes contain an appreciable amount of aluminum compounds. Without intending to be bound by any particular theory, it is believed that the aluminum compounds present in such recondensed or vacuum distilled silanes adversely affect the electrical properties of thin films made from such silanes (e.g., resistivity), and may adversely affect the physical properties of compositions including such silane(s) (e.g., the ability to form a uniform thin layer during spin coating).
Furthermore, there is a long-felt need for a “liquid silicon” composition. Such a composition would primarily comprise silicon, would be in the liquid phase at ambient temperatures (to facilitate handling, deposition and further processing), and would yield commercial quality semiconducting films upon subsequent heating (e.g., annealing or curing). Better yet, the “liquid silicon” composition would be patternable without conventional photolithography (i.e., without depositing conventional photoresist materials).